River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-12-08
sMember OF the FOrty-ninth Congress.
Member OF preceding Congress.
The nisf ~ con 6astad aaata ia "a follou
LAMGR,S REPORT.
Another Interesting Chapter ON Land
MISUNDERSTANDING Devices Resorted to
The Administrations.

Announcer interesting 1hapteE ON Lahu-
stealings-CunnIng Devices Resorted to
The ADMINISTRATIONS.
wAsHINGToN. Dec Sin the annual report
OF the Secretary OF the Interior there is one
chapter that should interest every citizen who
has read with shame and Indignation OF the
many fragrant Enclosures OF public lands. The
papers transmitted from the General Land
once show that during the year 465 illegal
Enclosures, aggregating an area OF nearly 7.OO0-
Ol0 acres have been reported Proceedings
have been instituted in 1875 cases, and special
agents report that in i55 cases the removal OF
Illegal fences has been accompl shed, throwing
open TO public use 3,S9iO00 acres. In addition
10 this 10000 acres have been reclaimed by
special agents sent from the ONCE 70 New Mex
leo aud Wyoming. The Secretary says:
only where corporate eonnivanee and prOdi-
gal railroad grants came 10 their assistance had
the cattlemen still defed the Law and rendered
pOwerless the efforts OF this department 10 cor
rect this abuse. As 7 write this report COM
plants come from a region little visited by my
inspector that certain large and wealthy cor
pOrations, composed Of foreigners, are con-
structing further enclosures within the railroad
limits. That others are only waiting to see what
action, II any, the Government proposes TO take
10 prevent this, and are ready TO pursue the
same course IL this can be safely done Within
the limits OF the railroad grants to-day exist the
only large or cont nuous enclosures OF public
lands This cunning device for violating the
.
pense OF settlement could never have been
made enectual unless the railroad companies
had come 70 the aid OF these ca italists and
cattlemen. In Wyoming the railroads have
parted wi their titles to alternate sections OF
lana which have been granted them and the
purchasers have erected fences upon them in
such way as TO inclose large portions OF pub
lie lands.
In these latter instances the Government
las not been able to make any material prog
ress, and the public domain has been thus ille-
gally inelosed for more than two years. In
two cases the Government failed
10 obtain indictments because il was i'm
possible 10 impauel grand iuries which were
rot composed mostly Of men guilty of similar
acts To remedy this cunning evasion OF
the law two plans have been suggested The
first Is 70 establish public highway around
four rods wide-every section OF land, the sec
ton lines being the center OF such highways.
Make this part of the public land system, so
that all future entries made upon the public
lands should be subject to this provision. When
the land taken for such highways has passed
from the Government into the hands of private
parties the bill should provide for necessary
compensation. This would require a eompar-
atvely small amount, owing 70 the present
low value of these lands. An additional adj
va tage, too, would follow from these high
ways in opening free access 10 the
streams and water courses throughout the
D
exclus vely controlled by few to the perma-
nent injury OF many DESTROYS OF ranging stock
upon the broad uplands Of the public do
main The second plan considered is TO
lease the intermediate sections of public
land TO the owners OF adjacent railroad
| sections. Such leased land should be
subject TO entry under the land
laws at any time, the lessees rent terminating
from the date OF entry. Entrymen should have
a right 10 lease adjacent public land proper
Z -
be placed 20 suit the convenience of settlers,
one every mile.
The Secretary calls attention 20 the enormous
pr vate grants alleged 10 have been made TO
| the holders Dy the Spanish or Mexican Govern
ments. a matter which he recommends be in-
vest'gated as soon as special legislation can be
enacted by which TO cover il. out OF 1000
90 acres, the titles TO which have been ex-
I amined by the Surveyor General during
\ the last year, IL has been decided that only
20O,0O0 acres are held by valid title. The
annual loss to the Government by he de-
structiOn OF timber by fire alone ; esti-
mated at 100000. To this should be added
/ the more important but secondary loss
which follows the destruction of the timber by
/ floods, land-sldes, climatic changes of a per
maneut character and the violations OF the law
/ by depredators upon the timber on public
! lands. Legislation is needed which would look
/ to the preservation o. the natural forest lands
at the headgaters OF navigable rivers. and also
a method Of putting within the reach OF set
/ tiers legal means OF providing them with
/ timber for building their homes, fuel and other
/ domestic purposes.
The Secretary suggests that the public land
I strip be added 10 the Territory of New Mexico.
When the matter of Indian affairs is reached 10
/ is found that OF the remaining 153,6O) Indians
under their supervision, about IS, 900 wear citi-
zsns' clothes wholly; that 10, AZ houses are Oc-
I cupied by them; that about 5000 can speak
fufa
conversation; that more than 1850 OF their
children are in schools receiving educational
and industrial training for whom 237 schools
are in operation, and that over 81, O0J famili es
are engaged I'm industrial pursuits. They have
cultivated over 23S,OO0 acres, built over 20 900
rods OF fencing, produced over 10000 bushels
OF wheat, $50 90 bushels Of corn, 402 0O0 bushels
OF oats. $500 bushels OF barley and rye. 5l4,O
bushels OF vegetables and $1,000 pounds OF
butter. Besides the above they have gathered
for use and sale considerable quantities OF wild
rice, be ries, herbs, furs. fish, snake root etc.
They have sawed 1552,0s9 feet OF lumber, cut
74,OOJ cords OF wood and 10000 tons OF nay.
They own over 3s2 600 horses, 500 mules ll5,-
90 cattle. 4s,O0) swine and 1,12O,OOO sheep.
Droughts have seriously affected the yield Of
I their crops the last year
In the opinion Of the Secretary ''the Indian
race has reached eris 5 in its history. Sur.
rounded on all sides by the forces Of civiliza-
tion, all the reservations closed in and pressed
upon by eve increasing masses OF population,
made up OF impetuous, daring and aggressive
settlers. miners, Tanehmen ana traders; with
no possibility OF removal TO other reservations
OF OF escape into mountain Businesses. the only
alternative presented 10 the Indian race is alb
/ solute extinction or a quick entrance into the
I pale OF American civilization"
He compliments the Indian Freehold law and
/ its workings. but after reviewing the statistics
of Indian edueat onal matters he says:
&fI have Measure in cOufPmOlatiup
stating any unprOmising features Of our work
among the Indians; but 1 am convinced that II,
and more systematic life, we continue TO de-
pend so fully upon the powers OF attraction, our
Government will continue TO be troubled with
the Indian problem for an indefinite period
Il lam persuaded that the question OF compuI.
sorry education OF all the Indian youth OF the
tribes and bands un6 or the care OF the general
Government is wor' ~ OF early and serious con
sheraton Any -aOvemeht n this direction
should have the full warrant Of the law, and the
methods prescribed should be wisely adopted
ard nearly uniform as practicable, and
should be kindly and iudiciousy but firmly,
enforced
The Secretary calls attention to the In.
[ creased efficiency and.d unfinished exp enditures
/ OF the Pension once, for which, he says, all
/ the credit is due 10 the Commissioner. He
suggests that the orphan children OF deceased
I soldiers who may be entitled 10 pensions un.
I til they a-e sixteen years of age should
[ be allowed TO draw the same after that period
II they are incapacitated for making livelihood,
/ and that sold ers' widows who may remarry
/ and subsequently become widows or be di.
vorced without Iault OF their own should have
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